Drum cartridge including drum contact movable in accordance with attachment of drum cartridge to main frame

Abstract

A drum cartridge attachable to and detachable from a main frame of an image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum frame; and a drum contact. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about a drum axis extending in a first direction. A toner cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface is attachable to and detachable from the drum frame. In a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum frame, the drum contact is movable in the first direction between: a separated position in which the drum contact is positioned away from the electrical contact surface; and a contacting position in which the drum contact is in contact with the electrical contact surface. The drum contact moves from the separated position to the contacting position in accordance with attachment of the drum cartridge to the main frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A drum cartridge attachable to and detachable from a main frame of an image forming apparatus, the drum cartridge comprising:
 a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in a first direction; 
 a drum frame including a first side frame positioned at one end portion in the first direction of the photosensitive drum and a second side frame positioned at another end portion in the first direction of the photosensitive drum, a toner cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface being attachable to and detachable from the drum frame; and 
 a drum contact positioned at the second side frame, 
 wherein, in a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum frame, the drum contact is movable in the first direction between:
 a separated position in which the drum contact is positioned away from the electrical contact surface; and 
 a contacting position in which the drum contact is in contact with the electrical contact surface, and 
 
 wherein the drum contact moves from the separated position to the contacting position in accordance with attachment of the drum cartridge to the main frame. 
 
     
     
       2. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the drum contact relays transmission of information stored in the storage medium to the image forming apparatus in a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum frame and the drum cartridge is attached to the main frame. 
 
     
     
       3. The drum cartridge according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the drum frame further includes a third frame connecting the first side frame and the second side frame to each other, 
 the drum cartridge further comprising:
 a drum connector positioned at the third frame, the drum connector being configured to be electrically connected to a main connector provided at the main frame, the drum connector being in contact with the main connector in a state where the drum cartridge is attached to the main frame; and 
 a harness electrically connecting the drum contact and the drum connector to each other. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the drum cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the main frame in a second direction crossing the first direction, 
 the drum cartridge further comprising another photosensitive drum rotatable about another drum axis extending in the first direction, the photosensitive drum and the another photosensitive drum being positioned to be spaced apart from each other in the second direction. 
 
     
     
       5. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the drum contact is in the separated position in a state where the drum cartridge is detached from the main frame. 
 
     
     
       6. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 , further comprising a developing roller rotatable about a developing axis extending in the first direction. 
     
     
       7. The drum cartridge according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the developing roller is a magnetic roller. 
 
     
     
       8. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 , further comprising an elastic member urging the drum contact from the contacting position toward the separated position. 
     
     
       9. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 , further comprising a contact holder holding the drum contact, the contact holder being movable in the first direction together with the drum contact between the separated position and the contacting position,
 wherein the contact holder moves from the separated position to the contacting position in accordance with the attachment of the drum cartridge to the main frame in a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum frame. 
 
     
     
       10. The drum cartridge according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the contact holder makes contact with an inner surface of the main frame to move from the separated position to the contacting position during the attachment of the drum cartridge to the main frame. 
 
     
     
       11. The drum cartridge according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the contact holder includes a protrusion protruding in the first direction, 
 wherein the toner cartridge has a recessed portion recessed in the first direction, and 
 wherein the protrusion is inserted in the recessed portion in a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum frame and the drum cartridge is attached to the main frame. 
 
     
     
       12. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the toner cartridge further includes a casing configured to accommodate toner therein, and 
 wherein the electrical contact surface is movable in the first direction relative to the casing. 
 
     
     
       13. The drum cartridge according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the toner cartridge further includes an elastic member positioned between the electrical contact surface and the casing, the elastic member of the toner cartridge pressing the electrical contact surface toward the drum contact in the first direction in a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum frame and the drum cartridge is attached to the main frame. 
 
     
     
       14. The drum cartridge according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the toner cartridge further includes a chip holder holding the electrical contact surface, the chip holder being movable in the first direction together with the electrical contact surface relative to the casing, and 
 wherein the elastic member of the toner cartridge is positioned between the chip holder and the casing. 
 
     
     
       15. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the toner cartridge further includes:
 a casing configured to accommodate toner therein, the casing having a toner supply opening; 
 a shutter movable between:
 a closed position in which the shutter closes the toner supply opening; and 
 an open position in which the shutter opens the toner supply opening; and 
 
 a locking member positioned at one end portion in the first direction of the casing, the locking member being configured to lock a movement of the shutter, 
 
 the drum cartridge further comprising an unlocking member positioned at the first side frame, the unlocking member being movable in the first direction between an advanced position and a retracted position, 
 wherein, in a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum frame:
 the unlocking member is positioned away from the locking member in the first direction when the unlocking member is in the retracted position; and 
 the unlocking member presses the locking member in the first direction to cause the locking member to unlock the movement of the shutter when the unlocking member is in the advanced position. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The drum cartridge according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the unlocking member in the advanced position is positioned closer to the second side frame in the first direction than the unlocking member in the retracted position is to the second side frame. 
 
     
     
       17. The drum cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the drum contact in the contacting position is positioned closer to the first side frame in the first direction than the drum contact in the separated position is to the first side frame.